We're just Pretending
by XHitsuKarinX316X
Summary: When Karin makes the decision to try out for a school play for an opportunity to an extra month of summer vacation, the all mighty captain gets dragged into it and Karin and Toshiro end up becoming the two main characters playing two love-infatuated teens. HitsuXKarin
1. We meet again

When Karin is forced to try out for a school play, the all mighty captain gets dragged into it and Karin and Toshiro end up becoming the two main characters playing two love-infatuated teens. HitsuKarin

**We're Just Pretending**

**Okay everyone, here comes another HitsuKarin. I'll be coming out with a IchigoXRukia soon. For any Shugo-Chara fans out there, an AmuXIkuto (Or something like that) will be coming too. I won't be writing any of those until I can finish my story, "Nothing Without you" though. If you have any suggestions for any of those two soon-to-come fanfics, just suggest them down in the review box. By the way, I need you to review. I know, it takes thirty seconds to write one, and that's a long time, but seriously, I put a lot of time and effort into these, and a couple reviews would be GREAT! Thank you everyone who put my stories into favorites! **

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH! (just a by the way!) XD**

**Enjoy! **

** -XHitsuKarinX316X**

Chapter one

So shorty, we meet again?

I stood in the hall by my locker, trying to shove as many text books as I could into my shoulder-bag before first-period started. After I finished zipping up the zipper on my bag, I slammed my locker shut and began to lock my locker when Yuzu walked up.

"Karin-chan, you forgot your lunch at home." She said, handing me a brown paper bag. I looked down at my school bag and Yuzu followed my gaze. Seeing that it wasn't worth trying to cram a lunch into the over-stuffed shoulder bag, she gave me a tight smile, and then placed the lunch in her own bag. "You know Karin-chan, you don't have to take so many classes."

_Yeah, right._ I thought to myself. I had skipped two grades, but the school board thought it necessary that I take both middle school _and_ high school classes at the same time, so I ended up staying in each class half of the time to get to all of my courses. But this kind of thing didn't go without reward, of course. They said that I could have an extra month of summer if I did the drama course during break. It would only last for three weeks. Two and a half weeks of practice, and half of a week of performances. I accepted thinking that it wouldn't be as bad as everyone suggested it be.

"Yuzu, you know I don't have a choice, and anyway, it's not a big deal," Yuzu strapped her bag into place over her shoulder, and I did the same. I staggered under the sheer weight of all of my text books being thrown over my shoulder. "besides, summer is in one week, so if I can get through this week, I'll be fine." Yuzu gave me a worried look and then waved me goodbye.

"See you after school, Karin-chan." I wished that we could see each other during lunch, but I had classes while the other middle school kids ate lunch. I ate lunch with the high-school kids, which wasn't nearly as fun as eating lunch with all of my friends.

"Bye, Yuzu." I watched her leave down the hall and turn a left into her first period class. I turned the opposite way and turned a few corners until I reached my first course, chemistry. Chemistry was my worst nightmare, and I wished that it was one of my very _last_ classes. All of the equations gave me a headache and when the teacher talked about chemistry, it sounded like he was talking in four different languages all at the same time to me. I did my best to try and understand him, but zoning out was too easy. That's why I had a B+ in his class. As I walked into class, one of my high school friends, Kuzuki, waved me over to his little group.

"Hello Kurosaki-san!" he said, giving me an up-beat look. "Can you believe it? Summer is only a week away!" I gave him a smile and nodded.

"Yeah, I can't wait." I said, trying to sound neutral. The bell rang and Mr. Tozuro began to write something onto the board in bold, capital letters. Something hit me in the back of the head, making me swivel around. Kuzuki was leaned in behind me.

"did you hear?" he whispered.

"Hear what?" I asked, whispering back.

"There's a new transfer student coming. I heard he's like, _super_ smart, like you Kurosaki." He gave me a nudge with his fist.

"I didn't know that, what's his name?" Mr. Tozuro cleared his throat at the front of the class.

"Mr. Kuzuki and Ms. Kurosaki, is there something you would like to share with us?" a wave of embarrassment swept over me, making heat spring into my cheeks.

"No sir." I said.

"No sir," Kuzuki mimicked.

"Okay then, we can get on with our class and introducing our newest student," The new student walked into the room from the hallway. All of the girls in the class sighed, all of the guys murmured, and I just gaped. "Hitsugaya Toshiro!" Toshiro plastered on a fake smile. He scanned his eyes over the class room and then stopped at me. His eyes grew wide.

"Karin?" he said, taking a step back and then rebounding after slamming into Mr. Tozuro's chest. Mr. Tozuro looked at me, and then back at the white haired teen standing in front of him.

"You two have been aquainted already, wonderful." I could tell by the tone in his voice that this came as a surprise to him. "well good, at least you already have some friends." He pointed next to me. "You'll be sitting here, next to ." I growled inwardly. _Of all the places in the room, it just __**had**__ to be here?_ I cursed to myself.

I put on a smile as dazzling as I could, but put a threatening look into my eyes. By all of the looks he was receiving from the girls in the class, I could tell that he would be quite popular with the ladies, and I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea and become strangely jealous of me. Jealousy would ruin the picture I had built up in front of the high schoolers after a year and a half. Toshiro walked down the isle of desks, eyes following him all the way down the row until he sat into his seat.

"You're still short." I mocked. He looked my way and frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing." I said quickly, turning away from him and facing the front, suddenly very interested in the words scribbled on the board.

END CHAPTER  
**Thank you all, and MAKE SURE TO REVIEW! Seriously! I would really appreciate it! Any helpful critisizm would be very welcome, and don't forget to give me suggestions for a RukiaXIchigo and Shugo-Chara! Fanfiction! Thanx Guyz!**

** -XHitsuKarinX316X**


	2. Have you seen any clouds lately?

Okay, thank you all who reviewed and added me into your favorites list! (Me and my story)

I know, I just published the first chapter last night, but I'm seriously really bored and need something to do. Thanks for reading guys, and I'll most likely add the third chapter in about a week or two, due to some other serious writing I need to do on my other fanfictions.

Please enjoy, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! :)

Thanks Guyz,

-XHitsuKarinX316X

Toshiro POV:

The minute I saw Karin's face, I knew that this entire plan had been a set up. I was told by my lazy, good for nothing vice-captain that I was supposed to go to the world of the living immediately because there were sightings of "strange clouds" forming in the skies. I was beating myself up that I actually believed her, and for a moment, I thought that she had ditched her child-like ways, but I was proved wrong, once again. Matsumotto had also told me that I was supposed to attend Karakura high because this mission could be "extensive". This made me slap myself inwardly when I walked into the class room.

"Karin?" I cried, my heart skipping a beat. I hadn't seen her in two years, not since the day when she met my Grandmother Haru. All eyes were on me, there were some murmurs, some sighs, but I didn't hear Karin say a word. Her stormy grey eyes were on me, intently studying me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.

""You two have been acquainted already, wonderful." I could tell by the tone in his voice that this came as a surprise to him. "Well good, at least you already have some friends, so you'll be sitting here, next to ." He pointed next to where Karin sat, and seeing that I had no choice but to obey, I walked down the row of desks and sat down at my own next to Karin. She put on a smile from ear to ear, but I could tell that there was a different meaning behind that friendly welcome smile.

She mumbled something that I couldn't catch after I had pulled out my chemistry book.

"What?" I gave her a little frown.

"Nothing," She said, smirking down at the bland pages of her text-book. I gazed at her for a moment, realizing how different she looked. She wasn't wearing her old faded shorts or a t-shirt; she was wearing some denim jeans and a tight black shirt. Her hair was still short, but it looked like she had actually curled her hair. She was no longer the skinny little girl anymore, she had more curves and just taking one glance, she had filled in nicely.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" she whispered, glaring at me, her eyes catching mine. I pulled my gaze away from her, a blush pricking my cheeks.

"Er… nothing." I said, returning to my textbook. As I opened the book and turned to the page written on the black board, I could feel Karin's eyes studying me, her stormy eyes seemingly burning a hole in the side of my head, looking up after feeling extreme discomfort at the fact that Karin was intent of studying me while I studied, quite ironically, I glanced over her way.

"And what are you looking at?" I asked, emphasizing the o in you.

"Nothing, just keep reading," she said, giving me an irritated sigh. I obeyed, and continued working. I read page after page, chapter after chapter for what seemed like hours, but I knew it had really only been forty-five minutes. Glancing up at the clock that was my cue to pack up my things and move onto the next class. I was situated to move to different classes every 50 minutes, or every half a class period. I began to close my book when I noticed Karin was already ahead of me, packing her things hurriedly. The frown on her face indicated to me that something was wrong.

"Karin," I said, indicating that I needed her attention. "What are you doing?" I assumed that maybe she felt sick or something, by the way she was frowning.

"leaving." She said, zipping up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. I did the same.

"Karin, are you like… sick, or something?" I sounded worried, too worried. It made me sound like I actually cared…

"What? No way, I've got another class to attend!" She gave my bag a sideways glance. "I should be asking you the same thing though." she indicated towards my bag and threw her head back. Giving Mr. Tozoru a final nod, she slid open the classroom door and left. I hurried after her weaving around desks to find the shortest possible escape. I mimicked Karin and nodded towards the chemistry teacher, and then left, sliding the doors behind me.

Karin was already half way down the hallway. I jogged to catch up to her.

"What the hell do you want?" she asked, obviously vexed that I had followed her. "If you're looking for the bathroom, I can't help you."

"No, that's not it." I put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "What class are you going to?" she shrugged me off.

"Geometry," she gave me a curious glance. "Why?"

"I have the same class, maybe we can walk there togeth-…. MPH!"

"What the hell shorty, are you stalking me or something?" Karin said, punching me in the stomach. I doubled over, trying to get the breath that had been violently knocked out of me.

"No!" I gasped. "I'm not stalking you!" I stood up, my lungs finally accepting oxygen again.

"Then why are you here, and why in hell do you have a bunch of the same classes as I do, at the same time?" she kept walking, and I followed.

"Well, I'm on a mission, and…" I thought back to what my vice-captain had told me. "It's supposed to be a long one, so they told me to go to school here, and I wasn't thinking and…" random words were just flowing out of my mouth now.

"Shut up." She said, taking a big step ahead of me.

"But you just asked-"

"Just, shut up, will you? We'll talk about this later." She turned a corner and entered into another classroom, leaving me no choice but to shut up and follow.

Lunch time…

Karin's POV:

I sat at a table with three of my high school friends engaging in a conversation about the upcoming summer.

"-yeah, like I would do that-"I only heard little bits and pieces of the conversation, and talked only when I actually understood what they were saying. I was too focused on Toshiro sitting with six or seven girls at a round table. By the way he was looking around; he was obviously confused and lost on how to get rid of all the crazy females. He looked back, noticing that I was watching him, and gave me a desperate look, indicating with his eyes that he needed help. Standing up, I picked up my empty lunch sack that Yuzu had given to me during history and threw it away, making an excuse to walk over and help Toshiro. When I approached the girls and Toshiro, they all turned around when I cleared my throat.

"Hi Karin-chan, we were just talking with Hitusgaya-kun." One of the girls said. I gave her an icy stare, and she turned around.

"Actually, Toshiro was just leaving. C'mon, we've gotta talk anyway." I said, pulling him by the arm. He stood up and followed after me as I walked him out of the lunch room and into the courtyard. I looked back, but didn't see any of the girls following us.

"Thanks." He said, shrugging me off.

"You seriously need lessons on how to get rid of crazy people like them." I said, punching him lightly in the arm. "I'm not gonna save your ass again."

"Well, I can't promise they won't come back."

"Your head is already too big, don't flare your ego, idiot." I said, turning around and walking into the grass. I sat down and leaned against an old tree. Toshiro followed me, but didn't sit down. "Does it feel good to finally be taller than someone, shorty?" I mocked.

"Wh-what?" he stepped back.

"The way you were standing over me, it looked like you were enjoying standing taller than I was."

"You were sitting." He said, taking a place next to me.

"Okay, whatever," I said, indifferently. I rested my head on the tree trunk behind me. There was a long, prolonged silence that hung heavily in the air. I shifted uncomfortably, and I felt Toshiro shift next to me. He opened his mouth and closed it.

"Where you going to say something?" a blush formed on his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

"Uh… Er… Have you seen any strange cloud sightings?"

Okay people! That's the end of the second chapter. Not much of a cliff hanger, but there are plenty more to come, don't you worry! Thanks for reading, and if you hadn't noticed, I REALLY NEED YOU TO REVIEW! Thanx guyz!

-XHitsuKarinX316X


	3. He's just an idiot

**Sup guyz? Okay, I know what you're thinking for all of you who put me and/or my story on alert. I'm sorry for not updating sooner, I haven't had any good ideas. Again, sorry, and please enjoy. By the way, I'm sorry it's a filler, but I had to update something to this story.**

Toshiro POV:

"Strange clouds?" _strange clouds? What am I saying?_ I thought to myself.

"Um… yeah?" I said uncertainly.

"You're blushing." She said, smirking. I looked down.

"Shut up…" I said, trying to sound like I didn't actually care. "It's just… cold."

"You're bad at lying," she said, giving me another wide smirk. "It's ninety-four degrees today." She waved a hand in front of her face as if to prove her point.

I shrugged it off. "What are you going to do once your school ends?" I asked, trying to change the subject. She looked off past the school gates at the trees in the small park across the street.

"Um, well," she paused and hummed in thought for a moment. "Nothing much, _but…_-" she cut off and looked at me, smiling devilishly. "I am doing a play."

"Cool." I glanced over at her. She was staring at me intently, and she was planning something, I could see it in her eyes. "I'm a captain, not an _actor._" I said, pointing my nose upwards.

"So, you'll do the play?" she asked, smiling.

"N-no! I never said that!" I cried. I knew whatever Karin said, went, and there was no taking it back.

"Look, I need someone to do it with." Someone walked by just in time to hear that small out of context sentence. They looked down. Of course it had to be the kid that seemed to be good friends with Karin.

"Karin, I didn't know you and Toshiro were…" Karin's eyes were wide. Her face was completely red, like someone had walked by and spray painted her.

"K-Kuzuki, it's not what it sounds like." She stammered. "See, we were just talking about-" Kuzumi cut her off.

"But Karin, you're only, and he's only-" Kuzuki ran a hand through his messy unkempt mop of brown hair. He seemed to compose himself and then continued talking. "I won't tell your parents, Karin. I'm a good friend like that." He said, setting a hand on her shoulder.

I saw Karin flinch. "T-thanks, Kuzumi." She put on an uncomfortable smile and looked up at him. "I owe you one." Her voice wavered. Kuzuki took his hand off of her shoulder.

"Don't worry Karin, it's only natural, you two seem so perfect for each other, it was bound to happen anyways." That was my cue to become flustered.

"Now wait a second…-!"

"It's fine Toshiro, we can trust Kuzuki with our, um… _little secret._" She nudged me, trying to get me to play along.

"Oh, okay." I said, a little too loudly. Kuzuki nodded.

"Thanks Kuzuki, now we both owe you one." With that satisfying answer, he left us to look at each other.

"That was close." She said, letting out a sigh of relief. I growled.

"WHAT? We just got accused of…" I was too ashamed to say it. "Well, what just happened wasn't just close, it was there, and-and," I growled again.

"Relax shorty, we'll be fine. It's not like we actually did anything wrong. It was just Kuzuki. He's an idiot, so we don't have anything to worry about."

"But he's an idiot." I said, trying to get the point to her that this wasn't something to be ignored. "If he accidently tells your dad or…"I threw my hands up in the air. "Or something, your dad will bankai my sorry butt."

Karin's face turned grave. "You're right. I'd be grounded for life, and-and, I'd never live to hear the end of it!" It felt good to right Karin.

"Yeah, well…" I stood up. "I have to go. I didn't get to finish my lunch."

"good luck with those girls in there." She said, winking at me. "as for me, I'll be clearing this mess up with Kuzuki." We parted ways, Karin running in the direction of Kuzuki, and me, walking in the direction of the cafeteria.

_After school_, Karin's POV:

I was walking home from school with an abnormally light homework list for this week. I only had one project due, and that was for one of my easiest classes. History. I had finished all of my finals last week, and all of my teachers had been told to "take it easy on me" for the next few days so I was pretty much free to do whatever until that project was due.

I pondered on my day. It had been pretty amusing overall. I didn't know why, but having Toshiro around made it 20% better. Maybe that was because I had him to harass instead of Kuzuki, who really never got any of the "jokes" or "pranks" I pulled on him.

_But maybe it was because he's actually kind of…_ I shook my head. "Shut up Karin, you don't know what you're talking about." I said out loud, trying to gain control of my thoughts again. I thought about today at lunch and how I had to save myself from total humiliation. Kuzuki would have ruined my life if he had told anyone about the previous little "accident" that had happened. I was just trying to get Toshiro to do the play with me, but it ended up costing me five dollars and half my lunch for the rest of the week.

I woke up from my subconscious thoughts and realized that I had stopped dead center in the middle of the sidewalk. I looked around. There was no one else around me, thank goodness. I realized that I was already at home. I didn't remember getting there so fast before, but I didn't complain. It usually took way too long to get home, this was an improvement. _This day keeps getting better, doesn't it?_

The moment I stepped into my front door, I regretted it. "Kaaarrrriiiinnn!"

I stepped out of the way of my over exuberant father who had lunged himself at me. He face planted with the flower pots sitting outside on our front porch. "Good to see you too, dad." I said, before closing the door behind me.

I threw my book bag down and kicked off my shoes. I ran my fingers through my hair and walked into the kitchen, on the hunt for a soda. I opened the fridge and bent over to be eye level with the cold shelves of food. I spotted a can of soda behind a jar of pickles. Moving the pickles aside, I pulled the can out and popped the top, making a satisfying _pfff._ I took a big gulp before turning around and closing the door. I advanced towards the counter where a pile of mail sat waiting to be sorted.

I stopped mid-step. "What do you think you're doing here?"

**Okay everyone. Cliff hanger…. Sort of. Please review, it would help! Thanks for reading! If any of you are waiting for another chapter of any of my other fanfics to come out, they'll be coming shortly. I'll have a lot more time on my hands soon.**

**Thanx Guyz!**

**-XHitsuKarinX316X**


	4. how to open a soda

**Hey guys, I feel like a butt for not updating sooner, so here it is. **

_Toshiro's POV:_

"What are you doing here?" Karin said, glaring at me. I didn't look up at her, I just stared at the can of soda. "Are you listening? I just asked you a question." Karin said, putting her hand on her hip.

"Do you know how to open these?" I asked her, holding the can of soda out. Karin shook her head and sighed. Karin set her soda down onto the counter.

"Do you think I was born yesterday elementary kid?" she growled. She ripped it out of my hands and popped the top of it. The sound was pleasant, making a quiet snap and a fizz. Karin handed it back to me and I brought it to my mouth. The tingling sensation spread through my mouth. I thought back on what she had just said. I choked on my drink, spitting it everywhere.

"I'm NOT an elementary kid! I told you already, I'm older than you!" Karin laughed as she opened her own soda. She shook her head again and took a sip of the soda in her hand.

"Whatever. Just tell me why you're here." She demanded, throwing her soda back down on the counter. I wiped soda off of my chin and glared down at the soda that stained my yellow T-shirt. I took my time walking around the counter and grabbing a paper towel to dry myself with. I heard Karin sigh impatiently. "Why are you here? I've asked three times. The least you could do would be to tell me."

I laughed. "You would hate it." I said. She scoffed.

"Oh yeah? Give it your best shot." She pressed, sitting down at the counter and leaning her chin on her hands. She smiled, dubious. I smiled even wider.

"I'm staying here for the next three months, in your room." I saw Karin's smile drop dramatically. She balled up her fists tightly, so that her knuckles were white. Her eyes narrowed.

"_what?_" She growled, leaning forwards. I flinched. I just realized what I had said. I was staying in her room, for _three months…_

"I-I'm staying in y-your room for three months." I said, braced for an explosion from Karin. To my surprise, she didn't move. She just gritted her teeth and… blushed. "Are you, blushing?" I said, smiling again.

"N-no!" She looked down, recoiling back to her previous position. There was a long, awkward silence before Karin 's blush began to disappear. "Why don't you just stay at Inoue-san's apartment?" she asked, her eyes still downcast.

It was my turn to blush. "I-I don't like to talk about it." Karin shrugged.

"Okay." She said, getting up and walking away, taking her soda with her.

Ooooo

_Toshiro's POV:_

"Hitsugaya-kun, are you sure you're going to be alright here? You're comfortable?" Yuzu asked, fussing over the sheets, messing them up and then straightening them out again. I put a hand on her shoulder as she began to remake the bed.

"I appreciate your worry, but I will be fine." I said, making Yuzu sigh with relief. Yuzu smiled at me and then nodded, walking out of the room. I stretched.

_Why does a gigai have to be so uncomfortable? _ I thought to myself. I sat down on the bed, feeling comfortable for the first time in a while. The life down in the human world was strange. I wasn't busy at all. I didn't have paperwork to do, I didn't have to worry about hollows, I didn't even have to worry about what the school kids called, "homework". I felt antsy, I had to do something, straighten something out, anything. I stood up and looked around, looking for something to fuss over. My eyes settled on a pile of pictures scattered over Karin's bed. I launched myself over to her bed and began to shuffle through her pictures. She must have been going through them this morning, before school. The pictures that she must have been going through were all with guys that I didn't know. One was with a short boy with dark curly hair and glasses. As I shifted through more, I saw that most of the boys weren't just friends with Karin. They seemed closer than just friends, cousins, maybe? As I shifted to the bottom of the pile, one picture drifted to the floor. I picked it up, hardly glancing at it. Suddenly, I did a double take at the picture as I realized that the photo was of _me._ Karin and I were on the beach. I had my swimming shorts on, and Karin had a swimming suit cover over her swim suit. She was wearing cheesy glasses and a floppy hat with a big flower on it, smiling wide. I was standing next to her, bare chested, sweat glistening off my skin. I hated the sun, it was too hot, but in the photo, I was smiling.

I heard Karin coming down the hallway. I stuffed the pictures into a drawer as she opened the door. I glanced at her quickly and then looked away, ashamed.

"What were you doing in here?" she asked, opening her closet. "You look like you're a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar." She pulled out a grey sweatshirt and some blue sweats.

"R-really?" I stammered.

"Duh. It looks like you saw someone naked." She teased. I blushed even harder.

"Oh."

"Did you?" she asked.

"No, that's the stupidest question I've ever heard." I said, pointing my nose up. _Why is it that every time I'm around Karin, I get pulled into an awkward conversation_? I asked myself. Karin began to peel off her shirt. "Wait! What are you doing?!" I cried, shielding my eyes.

"I'm changing." She said, not skipping a beat.

"Don't you want me to go out first?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. Get out." She said gruffly. I made my escape quickly, making sure to cover my eyes as I left. I could feel the heat inside of my cheeks as I stood outside of the door. I could hear Karin changing on the other side of the closed door. As the noise stopped, Karin let me back in. I settled myself onto my own bed as Karin sat on hers.

"So, about the play…" she said quickly.

"I already said no." I said firmly.

"Toshiro, please? It would be fun!" She cried, lunging herself towards me and grabbing me by the shoulders.

"No. let me go." I said, turning my head.

"I'm not going to stop bothering you about it." She said, stepping back.

"I know, and I'm not going to stop refusing." I said stubbornly.

"fine."

**Okay, review please. Sorry I can't make them longer. I'm having a hard time getting ideas. Thanks for reading, and DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW!**


	5. Underwear

**Hola! So…. It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, on with the story I guess. (:**

Toshiro's POV:

Dinner with the Kurosakis was filled with extreme tension. Karin was ignoring me for an unknown reason, Ichigo and Isshin were on thin ice about curfew, and Yuzu was glowering at all of us for being late to the dinner table. The only noises that were heard were the clanking of dishes and the few words spoken about school.

Although the atmosphere was rotten, the food was delicious. Yuzu had prepared Miso soup, white rice, and a side of tsukemono with a wheat roll to dip in the miso.

"Karin! My dearest daughter! How was school?" Isshin asked, taking a bite of his rice. I saw Yuzu shoot him a glance as he said, '_dearest_' Karin glanced down irritably.

"Fine." She said, filling her mouth with soup. She swallowed slowly and looked at me, as if expecting something. "How was your day, Toshiro?" she asked sweetly. Her face had an utmost gentleness about it, but her eyes held something dark, dangerous, and scary, and I knew that whatever it was, it involved me. I swallowed hard, gulping.

"Well, it was okay." I said seriously. She gave me an evil toothy grin.

"Really? Well, I heard from Kuzuki today that you're doing things you shouldn't be." She said wickedly. I gave her a quizzical look. What did she mean?

"Toshiro! You really did?" Yuzu cried. I had no idea what these people were talking about. I frowned and cocked my head.

"Toshiro I didn't know you had it in you." Ichigo said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair. "I thought you weren't _man_ enough." I glared at him, my anger rising.

"It's Hitsugaya to you!" I growled at Ichigo.

"So, no grandbabies from my sweet Karin and my favorite captain?" Isshin cried, throwing his hands up.

"Oi! I never said anything about that!" Karin yelled, throwing her roll at Isshin, her facial expression harsh. It hit Isshin in the jaw and he toppled over. "I didn't throw it that hard goat-chin." She said calmly, taking a bite of her rice.

"But still! It hurt!" he whined, climbing back into his chair. "I'm just upset that Toshiro chose another girl over you, Karin!" _another girl? What was he talking about… wait a second!_

"Hey! That was an accident! You said it yourself!" I cried. Everyone's eyes were on me.

"It was an _accident_?" Yuzu said, horrified. "How did it happen?" I saw Karin smiling viciously at the other end of the table.

"Nothing happened! I swear!" I said, losing my composure. I was just making this better for Karin.

"Those are the words of a liar." Karin said, standing up slowly and depositing her dishes into the sink. She walked behind me. She suddenly made a show of tripping over the leg of my chair, making me fall over as the chair tipped. As I dropped to the floor, I saw Karin going down too. I hit the floor hard, Karin landing over me, her hip digging into my side. She leaned in close to my face, her scowl menacing. I could feel the heat from her cheeks.

"Next time, don't go through my stuff, got it?" she said, her hot breath tickling my skin. I stiffened. She knew I had looked through her pictures, and now she was getting me back for it. She rolled away from me, standing up.

"Oh no! Are you okay Toshiro?" she said, holding her hand out to me. I took it, her grip crushing my fingers.

"I'm fine." I said taking her outstretched hand. I stood up, rubbing the back of my head. I turned the chair right side up and then sat down again. Karin gave me one last dangerous glare before heading up the stairs and disappearing out of sight.

Karin's POV:

It was all so easy. I knew Toshiro had gone through my pictures when he freaked out in my room. Getting back at him was the only way to teach him a lesson. Going through my stuff meant certain death for Yuzu, Ichigo, and my Dad. Because Toshiro hadn't gotten to know the ropes, I took it easy on him, but the next time he tried to go through my things, he would pay the actual price for it. Humiliation wasn't the only factor when it came time to get back at someone.

I sat back on my bed, going through the script for the play. I didn't care was role I was going to play, I got what I got. It was a teen romance play called 'Journey and Soul' about a girl named Akatsuki and a boy named Daiki in high school who fall in love. When Daiki's family decided to move, Daiki requests that Akatsuki run away with him so they don't have to be apart from one another.

I flipped through another page of the script, the paper making a small snap that rang in my ears. The script was almost like a book, the sentences were poetic and the emotions were so well described. I thought about what it would be like on the big stage, being the main character. I hated acting, and I never thought I was good at it, but this was something I could try at, make people believe that underneath the tough act, I had a soft affectionate side.

"Kurosaki! For the last time! It's HITSUGAYA to you!" said a muffled voice behind the door, snapping me out of my thoughts. The door swung open and Toshiro walked in, a scowl on his face and a deep level of irritation in his eyes. "And to think I've been telling him that for the past three years…" he mumbled under his breath. He didn't seem to notice me, so I didn't move. He faced the wall opposite from me and picked up a suitcase that sat of the end of the bed he was staying in. He opened it and went through it, pulling out a green T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts. He shut the suit case and threw it on the ground next to the bed. He huffed and tore off the shirt he was currently wearing.

I blushed. He was so… masculine. He had a fine muscle tone and he had scars running along his shoulders and his back. His arms were thin but powerful, his muscles rippling as he put his T-shirt on. Next was his pants. I looked back at the script blushing so hard I could feel it spreading to the back of my neck. I stifled a laugh. For some odd reason, I had to let out a guffaw of hilarity. The moment was just so awkward, I couldn't help it. I let out a laugh that echoed inside my chest. Toshiro froze in the middle of sliding his shorts over his knees. He let go of the shorts and let them fall around his ankles. He turned around stiffly, his cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Well, don't stop on my account! I don't want to see you tightey-whities." I said, burying my face into a pillow. I heard him pull his pants up around his waist.

"I'm decent you know." He said after I had held the pillow there for a time. I stole the pillow away from my face. His glaring eyes bore into mine. "How long have you been in here?" he growled, shoving his other clothing into the bag on the floor.

"I've been in here the whole time, you just didn't notice me." Toshiro blushed so that the tip of his nose was blood red.

"You were?" I nodded. His eyes went wide.

"There's no secrets anymore." I said. "I saw everything."

"_Everything_?" He said, his voice an octave higher. "Even my…." I cringed.

"Whoa! Not that far buddy." I said, holding up my hands. "How would I see…wait, were you even wearing underwear?" I asked, choking on my own words. Toshiro blushed madly, his entire face beginning to look like a tomato. "You weren't?!" I cried, my eyes wider than his.

"I didn't think it…necessary." He said quietly as he sat down on the bed. I scoffed.

"Are you wearing any _now?_" he shot a guilty glance at me and then looked down again. "You aren't…." I said. The awkward level went up as he cleared his throat. There was a heavy silence between us.

"No…I'm not."

Toshiro's POV:

I've never been so humiliated in my life and I've never seen anything go from awkward to excruciating. I had never seen Karin blush so hard either. She was trying to be normal about the situation, but of course, being around her was just awkward, like it always was. I had to get away from Karin. It was just too shameful, so I climbed to the roof and watched the sunset.

The stars were out now. The sunset was beautiful as always, although, the clouds did block the sun a little too much.

"Hey Toshiro." Someone said behind me. I whipped around, my gigai in fight or flight mode. It was just Karin. "Relax, relax. It's just me." She said quietly.

"Oh." I said, easing myself. Karin pulled herself down to sit next to me. I didn't take my eyes off the stars. They were mesmerizing as the twinkled through the fog. "Why are you up here?"

"Toshiro, sorry about earlier at the dinner table. I just hate it when people go through my stuff." I shrugged.

"Apology accepted." I said indifferently. There was a silence. "Why are you really up here?" I asked, looking at her face. Karin laughed.

"What do you mean?" she said. She was hiding something from me, the real reason why she came up here wasn't just to say sorry. I gave her an observable look. "Okay, fine. I just wanted to ask you again about the play. You would have a lot of fun! I think you would enjoy it. You're a good actor the way you act like things don't bother you." I flushed.

"A good actor? I don't act like things don't bother me." Karin laughed.

"Sure. I see it all the time. You're off alone sulking right now. You're stressed about you duties Toshiro. Maybe the play is a good thing. It will give you a feel of teenage freedom." She said seriously.

"I'm not doing the play. I have a bad feeling about it." I snapped.

"Toshiro, please! I can't do this alone! It's not going to be easy. None of my friends are trying out with me." Guilt began to creep up on me, but I pushed it back.

"No." I said harshly. I heard her sigh and then stand up.

"Fine." She said before returning to the window of her room and entering through it.

_She's making it hard for me to say no._

**Okay, how was it? Too cheesy? I don't' know… haha, okay! R-E-V-I-E-W! Thanks! **

** XHitsuKarinX316X**


	6. Stars in a velvet sky

I laid back on my pillow, my arms folded behind my head. I scowled up at the ceiling, throwing negative thoughts around my head. Toshiro wasn't going to do the play with me, and it was going to take a lot of convincing if I was going to get him to even think about doing it with me.

The past few days had been awkward for me, and no doubt for him either. I never remembered it being this awkward between Toshiro and I before he left. I remember we were always together when we were kids. Even though he claimed that my annoying "childish" attitude was aggravating, he always understood me. Now, he acts like I'm a different species.

I didn't know what had changed. I had become a little more sensitive around him, and I didn't know why. I felt like we had a different connection somehow, like we weren't really 'just friends' anymore. He just didn't seem the same.

A shuffling woke me from my sub-conscious thoughts. I glanced over to see Toshiro climbing into bed. I looked away, trying to show little interest in him whatsoever. As Toshiro climbed into bed, I could hear him mumbling something to himself. I only caught a few words of it, making little sense to me. I rolled my eyes. It was probably just captain related-stuff. I didn't care about what his job involved, so I ignored him.

There was a silence as Toshiro finished settling into his covers. He turned over onto his side, gazing at me. I could feel his sea-green stare boring into the side of my head so I looked at him from the corner of my eye. "Do you need something?" I snapped, making him flinch in surprise. He frowned his familiar frown. "You were staring." I said harshly.

"I wasn't staring." He snapped.

"What were you doing then?" Toshiro opened his mouth and then closed it, letting out a puff of air. He turned onto his back and kicked his feet out of the covers. He was still for a minute before he turned over onto his right side, letting out another loud breath of air. I gave an inward growl as he arched his back to return to his previous position on his back.

"Are you going to go to sleep or what?" I growled, sitting up a little. He shot a frustrated look back at me and pulled the covers over his shoulders. I gave a relieved sigh as silence filled the room. I sat back and closed my eyes, relishing the quiet. I felt myself beginning to slide into sleep, my breathing beginning to get deeper and my mind beginning to slow down.

Suddenly, a loud thump echoed around the room. My eyes flung open and I sighed, glaring at Toshiro and then clamping my pillow over my head. The pillow muffled the sound of his shifting, but I could still hear his movements. I threw the pillow at him.

"Oh for the love of God! Will you just shut up?" I cried, slamming my fists down onto the mattress. I heard him grunt in refusal. Seeing that it was hopeless that he was going to sleep any time soon, I jumped out of bed and stomped over to the window. I threw back the curtains and opened the window. I stepped out and breathed in the cold night air. It stung my skin and bit at my nose, making chills spring up on my arms. I rubbed my shoulders to try and stimulate heat.

I stepped carefully past my Dad's room and grabbed the top of the gutter and hoisted myself up onto the top of the roof. I sat down and let my legs hang over the lip of the gutter. I swung them slightly and gazed up at the stars. They reminded me of my first grade art project that my Dad had hung in his room. They were like silver sequins laid over black velvet.

I thought about what Ichigo had said to me on the night of mother's birthday seven years after she had died. He had looked at me lovingly and led me outside, saying,

"Karin, do you see that star? You do? That's where Mom is, she's watching us from that star." He pointed up at the biggest star in the sky and rubbed my shoulder in a brotherly way.

A tear escaped my eye as I remembered my mother. I waved up at the biggest star in the middle of the sky. It twinkled happily in reply.

"Karin." I jumped and wiped the tear from my eye. Toshiro settled himself next to me and I scooted over a bit.

"What?" I asked quietly, careful not to wake anyone else. "Couldn't get comfortable or something?" He scoffed and leaned back onto his palms.

"Shut up." He said, looking into the sky.

"Okay, whatever." I said, curling up to try and reserve heat. Toshiro looked at me.

"You're cold." He said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded.

"A little." I confessed. "I'll go get a jacket." I said, beginning to get up. Toshiro put his hand around my wrist. I looked back at him.

"You can have mine." He said, sitting be back down. I sat quietly as he peeled off his sweatshirt and handed it to me. I took it gratefully and put it over my head.

"Thanks." I said, feeling the warmth spread through me. I took a deep breath and smelled something strange. I took another sniff, holding the arm of the jacket against my nose. "What is that?" I asked, still smelling the jacket.

"I spilled Mint leaf tea on the sleeve earlier today." I nodded.

"Oh." I said, resting my hand in my lap. We sat there for a minute, silent. The stars twinkled and made my eyes begin to become droopy. Without thinking, I leaned my head onto Toshiro's shoulder, closing my eyes. He was strangely comfortable, and he didn't shrug me off. I stayed there, letting sleep greet me.

_The next day…_

_Toshiro's POV:_

I woke up, the birds singing in my ears and the sun piercing my eyes. I moaned and sat up, feeling a cold breeze wander through my shirt. I glanced around. I was outside, _on the Kurosaki's roof. _I felt something heavy fall into my lap. I looked down and saw Karin's black hair spilling over my legs. Her face was relaxed and serene. She looked beautiful with the sun on her face and her eyelashes brushing her cheeks. I smiled down at her, putting a hand on her forehead and petting it gently.

My heart stopped when my fingers touched her hair and a pulled my hand away. I cleared my throat and shook Karin's shoulder. She sat up quickly, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. She looked over at me and a look of surprise passed over her face. She stood up, whipping her head back and forth.

"Did we fall asleep?" she asked groggily. I stood up as well.

"I guess." I said indifferently.

"Oh my gosh! We're going to be late for school!" she cried, climbing down from the roof and disappearing into her room. I followed after her and dressed while she showered and dried her hair. We both ate quickly and went out the door before anyone could find out what happened last night.

"Toshiro! Why didn't you take me back to my room! Now we're missing first period!" Karin growled as she ran through the school hallways. Papers flew out of her book bag as she ran, and I caught them as she rushed. When we reached first period, Karin threw the door open and ignored the piercing stares coming from the other students, racing past them and sat down at her desk. I followed slowly behind, sitting next to her in my own desk.

"Kurosaki, Hitsugaya! Care to explain?" the teacher asked, taping his fingers against his arms, which were crossed against his chest. I saw Karin begin to shake a bit. I had no idea Karin could get so nervous under pressure.

"Mrs. Tanum…you see-I was…and he was…" I saw Karin look at me for help. I shrugged. "Last night, Toshiro and I slept on the roof together and then we woke up and we were late for you class, I'm really, really sorry!" she said, her mouth moving quickly. A gasp escaped everyone's lips and I saw Karin blush.

Kuzuki jumped up. "I knew it!" he cried, holding out his hand to a fellow student. The student rolled his eyes and handed him a five dollar bill.

"Mr. Kuzuki! I ask you kindly to sit down in your chair!" The teacher said, becoming obviously aggravated. "And _Kurosaki_, I'll speak with you and your _friend_, after class." He said harshly.

"Yes sir." She said, hiding her face.

_Karin's POV:_

There wasn't a single moment that people weren't talking about Toshiro and I. It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to come out that way, I was just scared. I had a perfect record before today, and I got nervous. I didn't know what to say, and Toshiro didn't help me out, so it ended in disaster.

"Karin, are you okay?" Kuzuki asked, shaking my shoulder. "You're pale."

I nodded, glaring down at my lunch. My stomach was turning and my head was pounding. I was hot and I was clammy. From second period, I felt like I was going to pass out, and I knew that if I ate anything I would just throw it back out.

"So… is it true that you and Hitsugaya slept together?" I looked at him with an angry look in my eye. "What? I'm just curious." My head rushed and a black mist clouded my vision. I felt myself swooning over to one side.

Kuzuki caught me by the shoulder. "Come on, we're taking you to the nurse." He said, leading me from the table. I put my hand on my forehead, stumbling.

"No, I think I'm fine." I said, shrugging him off. When his support left my side, I toppled over, hitting my head on the corner of a lunch table. A darkness shrouded me, making my head spin. I tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn't work right. People crowded around me, and I wanted to say I was okay, but my lips were numb and my face was twisted in pain.

Someone was calling my name….

**Okay you guys. I KNOW! SHORT SHORT CHAPTER. I'll continue soon. The second part of this will be coming out soon. Thanks for reading. **

**Just a BTW, people were insisting I add more romance in this, so I hope that it wasn't too little or too much. I made it a bit awkward, only because that's what I do. :P Make things more awkward. :P**

**XHitsuKarinX316X Out.**


	7. Confession in your sleep

**Hey guys… I haven't updated this in forever, but yet, I still get reviews and favorites! Thank you! :) **

Karin's POV:

My eyes fluttered open, and almost instantly they were forced shut again. A huge wave of throbbing pain ripped through my head, making me cringe and turn my mouth down into a frown. Light filtered through my closed eyelids, and shadows danced across them. I managed a groan and I turned over, feeling myself tip. My eyes opened and I found myself staring into the carpet. I had fallen out of bed…

"Kurosaki!" someone said, lifting me underneath my arms and sitting me up. I looked up and saw Toshiro staring down into my face. I rubbed my forehead, tracing a giant bump above my right eyebrow. I flinched and gasped.

"Ouch." I muttered. "What happened, and how did I end up in my room?" I demanded, standing up quickly. I swayed on my feet, my head bobbing. The room spun and I felt light-headed, and I felt myself falling towards the ground once again. A dull pain throbbed behind my eyes as I was jerked back by Toshiro's hands…Toshiro's _strong_ hands…

"Just lay here until I get your dad." He said, laying my head on my pillow and stomping out of the room. I evaluated myself, feeling my forehead and cheeks. I came to the conclusion that I had a fever. I swallowed hard, regretting it as my throat scratched against itself. I coughed and a loud, hollow sound erupted from my chest. I cleared my throat and pulled the blankets around myself. I was sick, but that didn't explain why I couldn't remember anything that happened after third period. I thought hard, fitting little pieces together. I had embarrassed myself in front of everyone…and then I was at lunch…I didn't feel well...and I fell.

"Karin! My sweet daughter! You're alright! I thought you were going to die!" My dad cried, throwing the door open and scaring the living daylights out of me. I jumped at the _bang_ of the door as the knob hit the wall and my heart skipped a beat.

"You scared the crap out of me! You nearly gave me a heart attack goat chin!" I cried, sitting up. I was about to take another huge breath to yell out another snippy remark, but in the middle of the intake a huge fit of coughing stopped me and I doubled over. Toshiro was at my side before I could take another breath.

"I'm fine midget. You don't need to hover over me." I muttered, breathing hard and trying to relax my airways. Toshiro blushed and looked down.

"Sorry." He muttered, walking away. I watched him exit the room and then turned my attention to my dad. He sat on the edge of my bed, sticking a thermometer underneath my tongue.

"I'll be back to check it. Need anything dearest daughter?"

"Waher." I said around the thermometer. My dad followed after Toshiro and left me alone. I wasn't alone for long, however. Ichigo and his friends came in carrying a little stuffed bear and a balloon that said "Get well soon!" in pink letters.

"Hi Karin! I brought you some bread from my job!" Orihime said, setting them on my nightstand. Chad, Ichigo's tall, dark, quiet friend who had saved me a while back set the bear on my bed. I smiled at him and held the bear in my arms.

"Get better Kurosaki." He grunted, returning to stand next to Orihime. Uryu gave me the balloon, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"Here you go, Ms. Kurosaki." He too returned to stand next to Orihime. Ichigo approached me, his arms behind his back.

"I thought you might like this." Ichigo said softly, pulling out a soccer ball from behind him. My face lit up.

I threw my arms around him. "Thank you Ichigo." I said, letting him hug me back.

"You're welcome. Uryu had taken my idea, so I got you the ball instead. Your old one is pretty beat up, so I thought you might need it." He smiled. "I'll let you get some rest. Dad will be back up to check your temperature." And with that, he and his friends left the room and I put my head back, examining the ball in my hands by lifting it over my face. It was a satisfying feeling to hold a brand new soccer ball in my hands, but it was quickly taken over by a fit of coughing. I spat out the thermometer and continued coughing. When it was over, I stuck the thermometer back into my mouth and cleared my throat, finding refuge in my pillow. I sank back into it and closed my eyes.

"Karin?" a voice said. I opened my eyes and my dad was standing over me. He took the thermometer from my lips and frowned. "Fever." He said underneath his breath. "Not high though. Just the common flu." He said, diagnosing me.

"Great." I muttered. "How long will I stay out of school?"

"Three or four days at the most." He said, wiping the thermometer with a towel and putting it away to clean it more thoroughly later.

"I can't be out that long though! I have perfect attendance!"

"Not anymore. You missed yesterday. Don't you remember?" I shook my head, scowling.

"Whatever. Leave me to sleep." I muttered, throwing myself back into the pillow and closing my eyes.

_That night…_

Toshiro's POV:

I sat in bed, shirtless and in a pair of sweatpants checking my phone from soul society. Absolutely nothing had happened since I had left. Matsumotto hadn't done her paperwork like always, Ukitake was sent to division four again because of a fever, and everyone seemed to be living their normal lives. It seemed like after Aizen was imprisoned, it was quiet. _Very_ quiet. I was so used to running around and saving soul society that I got used to it. It seemed like a part of life, and now, I felt empty, like there was something that I was supposed to do. I couldn't place it, but I felt the urge to do something out of the ordinary.

Karin stirred in her bed and I looked over at her. She worried me. Karin had been fine yesterday morning when we had woken up, but all of the sudden she passed out and didn't wake up for an entire day and a half. I shook my head, returning to my phone. There was nothing new, however, so I just shut it and threw it onto the carpet, hearing the _thump_ it made. I put my hands behind my head and laid back, staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought. _The play…what should I do? I can't keep refusing. She gives me the guilt trip every time I say no, and if I didn't know better, I'd say I might be-_

I was shaken from my thoughts as a cry came from the other side of the room. I looked at Karin, her face twisted, but her eyes still closed. She was having a nightmare. Her eyes shot open, staring right at me. It was unsettling, but she seemed scared. I ran to her bedside, ready to call out for one of the Kurosakis if anything went wrong.

"Toshiro, what is that thing?" she asked, pointing behind me. I looked where she was pointing, but there was nothing there.

"Karin, you're dreaming. It's not real." I cooed softly. She wrapped her fingers around mine, squeezing them hard.

"Toshiro, don't let it get me, please." She slurred. She was definitely asleep. She would never hold my hand like this…would she? I didn't know what to do. I could leave her alone, or I could comfort her. Either one seemed weird.

I hushed her. "I-I won't let it get you." I stuttered awkwardly. "I'll be here for you." That seemed to calm her down. Of course, I didn't mean it…I was only trying to calm her down.

_Who am I kidding? Of course I mean it. _

"Toshiro, why'd you leave? I missed you." She asked, her grey eyes blank, but at the same time, they were full of meaning and emotion.

"I didn't want to leave…I missed you too, but I had to go. I had to help your brother fight Aizen in the winter war. I'm sorry." I said, putting her hand to my forehead. I looked up at her, but her eyes were closed, and she was sleeping soundly. I blushed to myself and shook my head.

"You're and idiot." I muttered shamefully. "You're going soft for a human."

_The next morning…_

Toshiro's POV:

I sat at the table, glaring at Ichigo.

"Get my name right you half-wit! It's _Hitsugaya!_" I cried, dropping the spoon in my hand into the bowl below it. "Next time you do that, I swear I'll-"

"Morning guys." Karin said sluggishly, a blanket wrapped around her hunched figure.

"Morning Karin." Ichigo and I said at the same time. We turned back to each other, exchanging glares.

"How'd you sleep?" Ichigo asked, pushing his chair back and standing up. He tossed his bowl into the sink, making a loud _clink_.

"I slept alright. I had the weirdest nightmares." She looked over at me, giving me a funny look. "You were there. You basically told me that you loved me. I don't know where it came from." She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. I laughed nervously, afraid that she might realize that it actually happened.

"How strange." I said stupidly. I glanced at the time. "I have to go get ready. Bye Kurosaki." I said, my head down. I ran up the stairs, escaping Karin and Ichigo before she could say anything.

_Three days later_

Karin's POV:

I felt almost 100% better thanks to my dad. I was even up and kicking my new soccer ball in the front. All of my cooped up energy didn't have anywhere to go during those four days, so I had to let it all go somehow. Elementary kid had been acting strange the past few days, and I couldn't figure out why. He had been avoiding me all week, and it was fairly easy for him because I was condemned to my room all day, but now that I would be going back to school again, I could bother him a little more and find out why he'd been eluding me.

"Bye dad. Bye Ichigo." I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and skipping out the door. The sunshine on my face felt glorious and the fresh air in my lungs filled me with energy. My cough still lingered, but as long as I was hydrated, it wasn't too bad. I plastered a smile on my face as I walked down the driveway. Toshiro was waiting for me at the mailbox, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Took you long enough." He growled, scowling at me.

"Sorry. You were in the bathroom for an hour and a half. What the heck did you do in there anyways?" I asked, curious to why he was always in there for so long.

"That's none of your business Kurosaki." He said sourly. He was in an obvious bad mood.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, didn't they?" I said cheerfully, walking ahead of him. I was just trying to piss him off. I thought it was hilarious when the vein in his forehead popped out when he was aggravated.

"I woke up on the right side of your bed, FWI." He said, a cold edge in his tone. He was looking down, visibly trying to disregard me.

"Okay, whatever you say." I taunted, prolonging the _ay_ in say. He mumbled to himself, a permanent scowl on his face. "Have you thought about the play yet?" I asked. This time, I wasn't trying to get on his nerves, I actually wanted to know. His head shot up, his eyes furious.

"For the last time Kurosaki, I'm not doing your stupid play! All you've done these past few days is torment me about the play, and I'm tired of hearing about it! Just _shut up!_"

I recoiled at his sudden outburst. He was _dead serious._ I hung my head, a dreaded feeling of self-pity filling my chest. "Sorry. I just won't ask again."

Toshiro's POV:

Karin ran ahead of me. I watched her run. Karin was right. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Guilt filled me. I shouldn't have blown up at her, and I shouldn't have told her to shut up. That was her job…

"Karin! Wait! I didn't mean it!" I yelled after her, running to catch up. Whenever I caught up, she just ran faster. After she turned a corner and I lost sight of her, I gave up and walked the rest of the way to school, kicking myself for being so stupid.

_Third period…_

Toshiro's POV:

Class ended quickly, and everyone left in a hurry, excited to get to lunch. One girl came up to me, a girl named Azami.

"Good afternoon, Hitusgaya-kun. I saw you staring at Ms. Kurosaki. Sorry for asking, but do you like that girl?" She asked sheepishly.

I looked at her, caught off guard by her sudden question. "Why do you want to know?" I asked, becoming defensive.

"Because, I know that your feelings for her are mutual. I've seen the way she looks at you."

"I don't have feelings for her." I growled, picking up my things and leaving. I went to lunch alone, and sat alone, ignoring anyone who tried to speak to me. I was in a rotten mood, and I didn't want to have any interaction with anyone right now.

Karin's POV:

I noticed Toshiro sitting alone at a table at the other end of the cafeteria glaring at the food on his tray. He looked like he was having a crappy day, and if it wasn't for his earlier explosion today, I would go and talk to him.

"Do you like Toshiro?" Kuzuki asked, nudging my shoulder and knocking the spoon out of my hand. It clattered to the floor with a metallic clang and I reached down to get it.

"Why would I? It's not like he has any feelings for me." I muttered, wiping the spoon with my napkin. I set it down and took a gulp of my orange juice.

"Because, you always stare at him." He said bluntly, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Why else would you stare at him like that?"

"I don't know." I growled, putting my glass on the table.

"You should go talk to him."

"No way."

"Seriously Kurosaki, he doesn't look that happy."

"No." I shot back.

"Do it!"

"No!"

"Come on!"

"You piss me off."

"I know."

I stood up, walking to the trash and throwing the food on my tray into it. I set the tray, the cup, and the spoon on top of it and tossed my napkin in after my food. I approached Toshiro and he stood up quickly, spilling his lunch over his shirt. I laughed at his facial expression and grabbed a paper towel from the condiments bar.

I handed him the napkin and he took it gratefully. "Thanks." He muttered, engaged in dabbing the food out of his clothes. When he had finished, he looked up at me and studied me intently.

"What?"

"I'm just…sorry," he said, putting the napkin in the tray. "And I've decided to do the play with you."

**Ohhhh snap. He decided to do the play with her?! I saw that coming… :P **

**Please review! Thanks for reading! **


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